Where Ebola cases stand as US plans quarantine site, asks for volunteers
The Trump administration is expected to send Americans exposed to Ebola to a a quarantine facility in Kenya, while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking volunteers from its workforce to help screen people coming from Africa for the disease, according to media reports.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is already the third-largest such outbreak on record. It has led to more than 1,000 confirmed or suspected cases and at least 220 deaths. However, the World Health Organization, which declared it a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, and aid groups on the ground say the outbreak is much larger.
Authorities say the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola that has no approved medicines or vaccines, and spread undetected for weeks. The disease it causes is severe and often fatal and can be contracted from bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and unexplained bleeding or bruising.
The CDC has said the risk to Americans is low, and issued travel advisories urging Americans traveling in the DRC and Uganda to avoid people with symptoms like fever, muscle pain and rash.
Last week, the CDC announced that all foreign nationals who have recently visited the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan would be banned from entering the U.S. for 30 days from May 18 and that it would take measures to identify individuals with Ebola symptoms at ports of entry.
Newsweek has contacted the CDC for comment via email.
Sending Americans to Kenya
The Trump administration is planning to quarantine U.S. citizens exposed to Ebola at a facility in Kenya rather than bringing them back to the U.S. for monitoring and treatment, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.
The facility, which was pending approval from the Kenyan government as of Tuesday, is intended for Americans who have been exposed to or are at high risk of testing positive for the virus in the region, the Journal reported.
Some members of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a uniformed branch under the Department of Health and Human Services, have received notices to deploy, the report said.
They are being trained to provide medical care to those Americans at the facility, the Times reported. The initial plan had been to monitor those individuals in Kenya and move anyone who was showing symptoms for treatment in Europe, but the administration now plans to provide treatment in Kenya as well, the Times reported, citing two people familiar with the planning.
CDC Seeking Volunteers to Screen Passengers
The CDC has sent a request to its workforce to recruit people to screen passengers coming from central Africa for any signs of Ebola at domestic airports, according to an internal email obtained by ABC News and Bloomberg News.
The email was sent to staff by the CDC’s acting director Jay Bhattacharya, according to ABC News.
It says that staff are being recruited to the airports across job series and pay grades. They have to observe passengers for any signs of illness, check temperatures and refer any ill passengers for further assessment, ABC News reported.
Where Cases Stand
There have been 906 suspected cases in the DRC, including 105 that have been confirmed, with 223 suspected deaths and 10 confirmed fatalities as of Tuesday, the CDC reported, citing data from the country’s health ministry.
The CDC said Uganda has reported seven confirmed cases and one death.
Last week, an American who tested positive for Ebola and was flown to Berlin for treatment.
The CDC said the person, who has not been identified by authorities, “was exposed as part of work caring for patients” in the DRC.
“High-risk contacts associated with this exposure have been moved to Germany and the Czech Republic,” the CDC said.
What Is the Risk to Americans?
Health officials say the risk to Americans from the current Ebola outbreak remains low, and that no cases from this outbreak have been reported in the U.S. so far.
The CDC is monitoring the situation and supporting response efforts in the region, including contact tracing and screening travelers at border points.
Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University, previously told Newsweek that “the likelihood of a sustained Ebola outbreak in the U.S. is low but not zero.”
He added that the CDC is “severely weakened by massive staff and funding cuts,” and warned that “without specialized support our hospitals are not equipped to detect and safely treat Ebola cases.”
“The U.S. is also an international travel hub putting us at increased risk,” he said. “Given public health cuts, I have less confidence in our overall ability to prevent, detect and manage Ebola cases if they arrived on our shores.”
How Deadly Is Ebola?
Ebola remains one of the world’s most lethal viral viruses, exhibiting case-fatality rates that fluctuate based on the specific viral strain, local healthcare infrastructure, and how quickly cases are identified. Historical data from global health agencies show that outbreak mortality rates typically range between 25 percent and 90 percent.
The Bundibugyo species driving the current outbreak historically yields a 30 percent to 50 percent mortality rate. However, survival outcomes decline sharply when patients experience delays in accessing specialized medical care.
The current outbreak is exhibiting an elevated severity profile, with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) estimating the present mortality rate between 55 percent and 60 percent.
Ebola causes severe illness by overwhelming the immune system and damaging blood vessels, leading to organ failure, shock, and internal bleeding. Early supportive care—IV fluids, oxygen and treatment of complications—can significantly improve chances of survival, but many affected communities face barriers to rapid medical access.
How Can Travelers Protect Themselves?
Travelers can protect themselves by practicing strict hygiene and avoiding high‑risk exposures, especially if they have recently been in or near outbreak areas.
CDC advises people to avoid contact with sick individuals, steer clear of healthcare settings treating Ebola patients, and not handle raw bush meat or wildlife, which can spread the virus.
Frequent handwashing with soap or alcohol‑based sanitizer, avoiding contact with bodily fluids, and monitoring personal health for 21 days after travel are key steps.
Travelers should also stay informed through CDC travel notices, follow local health guidance, and seek medical care immediately if they develop symptoms such as fever, severe headache, vomiting or unexplained bleeding.
